Stories
US Visa Wait for Indians Soars to 346 Days: High Demand, Low Staffing Cause Delays
N
News18•29-09-2026, 08:51
US Visa Wait for Indians Soars to 346 Days: High Demand, Low Staffing Cause Delays
- •Indian applicants face an average 346-day wait for non-immigrant US visa interviews, a significant increase from 42 days pre-pandemic, according to a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit.
- •The GAO report highlights that high demand for US visas from India, with 1.45 million applications in FY2025, is outpacing the capacity of American consular posts, which have seen a reduction in consular officers.
- •The number of consular officers working on non-immigrant visas across the US fell from 1,342 in FY2024 to 904 in FY2025, contributing to a nationwide increase in visitor-visa interview waits from 26 days in FY2019 to 201 days in FY2025.
- •India is particularly affected due to a combination of high application volumes and relatively low staffing levels, leading to longer interview waits compared to countries like China and Brazil.
- •While B1/B2 tourist and business visa applicants face lengthy queues (up to 12 months in some Indian cities), student (F, M, J) and work-related (H, L, O, P, Q) visa categories generally have shorter wait times.
Key Questions Answered
Indian applicants waited an average of 346 days for a non-immigrant visa interview in fiscal year 2025, which is more than eight times the 42-day average recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic.
B1/B2 visitor visa appointment wait times vary by location in India, with the next available slots estimated at around 12 months in Hyderabad, 11.5 months in Mumbai, 10 months in New Delhi, 7.5 months in Chennai, and 6.5 months in Kolkata.
The standard application processing fee is $185 for B1/B2 visitor visas and several categories like F, M, and J, while petition-based categories like H, L, O, and P cost $205. Additionally, the US Congress legislated a new $250 Visa Integrity Fee under the 2025 immigration law.
